John h



(No Model.)

I J, H. GOODFELLOW. STORBSBRVIQE APPARATUS.-

No. 502,293.. PatentedAugfl, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. GOODFELLOW, OF LANSINGBURG, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE LAMSON CONSOLIDATED STORE SERVICE COM- PANY, OF NEW JERSEY.

STORE-SERVICE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 502,293; dated August 1, 1893.

Application filed September '7, 1889. Serial No. 328,259. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN H. GooDFELLoW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lansingburg, in the county of Rensselaer and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Store-Service Apparatus; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in store service apparatus, and it relates to particular means whereby the carrier may be impelled from station to station, and to the particular manner of connecting the carrier and receptacle, and for this purpose it consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the several parts of which it is composed as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improved system at one end of the way or track, showing the receptacle in elevated position, Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same, showing, by dotted lines, the various positions assumed by the motor while under tension at either end of the way. Fig. 3 is an end elevation looking in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the opposite 5 end of the way, all of the said Figs. 1, 2 and 4, showing the receptacle as suspended from the carrier by a conventional construction. Figs. 5 and 6, are detail views showing the devices for supporting the receptacle. Fig. 7, 0 is a detail view of a track section provided with a stop secured to the way or track. Fig. 8, is a sectional view on line ac0c of Fig. 7. Fig. 9, is a side elevation of a modified form of stop.

Referring to the drawings-the letter A indicates the main body-plate of the carrierframe which is supported from the wheels B, B, mounted, preferably, in such a position that their tread will be below the body-line of the carrier a sufficient distance to rest upon the'track or way.

0 is the lower body-line of the frame and may be connected thereto or made integral therewith.

Located between the b0dy-plates,A and O, are pulleys d 01 over which passes an elastic cord or band forming the impelling spring F which constitutes the motor for giving impulse to the carrier to propel it over the way, and is arranged in such a position, that it may be extended or distended or put under tension in the act of causing the carrier to be propelled along the way, as shown. This elastic cord or band is attached to one or more parts of the carrier-frame, the free portion or bight thereof resting on the pulleys. The attached portion is secured to the posts a a, or other portions of the carrier frame. The free portion or bight of said cord or band is adapted to be freely moved in either direction, within the body from the center toward the ends alternately when engaged by an arm or resistant t secured to the way over which the carrier moves to contact and tension the same for the purpose of propelling the carrier, and is supported across the line of travel and in line parallel therewith, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

G is a pendant which supports each end of the way or track E which may be either horizontal or inclined as desired. The end of the way or track terminates in a rigid track-section, H, constructed,preferably, of two plates h h clamped around said pendant and held in place by screws or bolts J Projecting outward from the track-section is an engagingstop or resistant, 11, provided with a notched end, 2' for the purpose of engaging the bight of the motor, or said stop may be disconnected from the track-section, made shorter and secured to. the way as shown in Fig. 9. The end of the track orway passes througha groove, I, in the end of the track-section and is clamped between the plates h and h secured together by the screws j.

K indicates a follower mounted upon the track-section and adapted to be reciprocated thereon. The said follower is provided with a pivoted latch k having arms Z and m, and a stud, 07., passing up through the arm on and serving to limit the throw of the latch 7.2 a spring between said arm and follower serving to hold the latch in engagement with a catch, f, on the carrier. Achain or cord, N, attached to the arm land pendant Gserves to limit the forward movement of the follower and release the carrier from engagement therewith, as will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

The under side of the follower is provided with a lug, g, to which is secured one end of a cord, R, passing over a pulley, e, journaled in the sheave c, secured to the under side of the track-section II. A stop, a seen red on the cord e serves as an additional means to limit the forward movement of the follower.

A series of holesS S, made in the track-section,serve, in connection with the pin S to regulate the degree of tension to be given the the motor.

From the foregoing it will be understood that sufficient force is stored up to propel the carrier forward in the act of drawing it rearward against the fixed resistant upon the way, and that when sufficient power has been stored up, will be released from the hand and automatically released from the retracting device by the chain lifting the latch while the carrier is in motion leaving it free to travel forward, and the retracting device and catch in position to meet the carrier on return.

In many instances it is desirable to provide the carrier with a receptacle so connected thereto that it may be lowered and returned to its normal position by the operator or attendant; and to accomplish this important object without the aid or employment of springs, or locking-devices, is the primary design of this part of my invention. In order to effect this object I employ two or more jointed levers 5 and 6, which are conventionally shown in Fig. 4, the free ends of thelevers 5, beingpivoted to the carrier frame at 7 and the free ends of the levers 6, being shown as pivoted to the receptacle T, at 9, but the construction which I have invented and prefer to use is shown in Figs. 5 and 6 in which the lower ends of the levers 6, are swiveled to the receptacle at g which permits the receptacle to be turned over to discharge its contents.

The inclosing-ring or cover 8 forms a part of the carrier-frame, and is only employed in connection with a receptacle for transporting certain articles. The said ring or cover is provided with a flaring or inclined periphery to more readily adapt it to receive the mouth of the receptacle. A rubber gasket P may be secured within the ring to serve as a yielding seat to cushion and seal the receptacle.

By connecting and arranging the levers as shown in the various figures it will be readily seen that a downward pull on the handle or grip r will bring the receptacle within easy reach of the attendant, and an upward thrust will readily return it to its normal condition.

Pins o secured to the upper side of the bottom-plate O, a slight distance apart, serve as guides to prevent lateral motion of the car-. rier while on the track-section.

The operation of my sytem is as follows:- Assuming that the carrier has entered the station at either end of the way or track, it will be in the position shown in Fig. 4, that is, in locked position with the follower and retracting device. In order to send a package or parcel to the opposite end of the way or track the receptacle is lowered by the attendant to the position shown in Fig. 4. The articles to be transported are placed within the receptacle and the latter returned to its normal position, which is readily accomplished by an upward thrust on the grip 0- The attendant pulls the operating cord R, drawing back the follower and the connected carrier,th ereby tensionin g the motor, thetransverse portion or bight, having been caught in the notched end of the stop 11, assuming the position shown by the dotted lines 25 in Fig. 2, thus storing up power for the purpose of propelling the carrier over the way or track. Then the follower and retracting device and the carrier connected thereto have been drawn back to a distance sufficient to store up the required amount of propelling energy, the cord is released by the operator, the carrier and follower moving forward, under the impulse given, until the follower and retracting device. reach the limit of the chain Nwhen they are stopped, the chain, at the same time, releasing the latch which holds the carrier locked to the follower and the carrier is permitted to travel over the way or track without further hinderance. A stop, 1), being located a distance to slightly exceed the limit of the chain N serves to relieve the chain from undue strain by stopping, positively, further forward movement of the follower. When the carrier has reached the opposite station or end of way or track, the. operation is repeated, except that when the carrier is drawn back to tension the motor, the cord or band assumes the position shown by the dotted lines 25 in said Fig. 2.

So far as the elastic propelling band or cord mounted Within the carrier frame and the fixed resistant stop attached to the wayagainst which the bight of the motor is drawn as the carrier is drawn rearward in the act of propelling it along the way are concerned, the follower and retracting device and chain may be entirely dispensed with and the carrier moved back to extend the spring by hand.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a store service apparatus the combination of a way, a carrier mounted thereon of a suitably constructed casing having open end and sides a pair of pulleys mounted therein, a propelling spring having one part attached to the carrier body and another part supported by the said pulleys, a fixed resistant stop or arm adapted to extend into the casing and bear against the spring, a retracting follower, a latch to engage the carrier and a releasing device for the latch substantially as described.

2. In a store-service system the combination with the way or track thereof, of a carrier adapted to move on said way and provided with pulleys, an elastic cord or band around said pulleys and means substantially as de' scribed for tensioning said elastic cord, substantially as set forth.

3. In a store-service system, the combination with the way or track thereof, of a carrier adapted to move on said way and provided with an elastic cord or band running around pulleys and serving as a motor, a fixed stop arranged to encounter said motor, a follower movably mounted on said track or a section thereof and provided with a sprmgactuated latch to engage the carrier, an operating cord for drawing back the follower and carrier, a chain to automatically unlock the carrier, substantially as specified.

4. In a carrier for store service apparatus, the combination with wheels, of a frame carried thereby, a receptacle, and a series of pivoted levers, the upper levers of whlch are pivoted to the said frame, and the lower levers of which are pivoted to the said receptacle by a universal joint, the levers when the said receptacle is raised being approximately Vertical, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature 1n presence of two witnesses.

JOHN H. GOODFELLOW.

Witnesses:

J. R. NOTTINGHAM, WM. H. DE LACY. 

